Centrifugal metal-extractor.



A. MAASSEN. GENTRIFUGAL METAL BXTRACTOR.

APPLIGATION FILED OCT. 25, 1911.

INVENTOR A TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 12,1912

AUGUST MAASSEN, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

CENTRIFUGAL METAL-EXTRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 25, 1911.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912. Serial No. 656,773.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUcUs'r MAASSEN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, inthe county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Metal-Extractors, of which the following is a specification.

In economically extracting the metallic values from ores by-the leaching process, it is necessary to crush the ore in order that the solvent used may readily come into con: tact with the metal. The crushed ore is then immersed in the leaching solution and allowed to stand in tanks holding the leaching solution until the metal in the ore has been dissolved and is held in suspension in the leaching solution. It is then necessary that the leaching solution carrying the values formerly in the ore be drawn off or separated in some way from the gangue. Usually this is done by gravity, by allowing the solution to drain or flow from the bottom of the leaching tank, and the gangue is then removed from the t-ank,by shoveling it out of the tanks or by having the tanks so constructed that they may be overturned and dumped, or by having the bottom constructed so that it may be removed and the gangue allowed to fall into cars or other receptacles for dumping. Some considerable time is needed to allow the solution to so drain off, and at best quite a lot of the enriched solution carrying its metallic values is left in and will not Fig. 2' is a plan view on line or m of Fig.1, parts cut away. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the distributing disk and the means of fastening the inner casing to the cone shapedhub.

I have previously been granted a patent on a centrifugal sugar separator No. 934,000, and have. observed, and by experiment have shown that the principles of that machine may be used in the economical extraction of the mineral values from crushed ore. The manner of feeding the ore into the machine and of causing it to contact with the interior of the separator is materially different from that of syrup. It is also necessary, in order that all of the metallic values may be extracted from the gangue that additional and fresh water he allowed to strike the gangue in its descent and as that water would carry metallic values it must be saved and kept separate from the richer solution first extracted.

My machine consists of an outer casing 1, preferably cylindrical in form and having a partially closed top and bot-tom. Through the opening in the top is inserted the pipe 2,

through which the material to be treated is conveyed into the machine. Inserted through the side of the casing land near the bottom thereof is the wash pipe 27. Secured to the bottom 20 of the said casin 1 is the discharge chutes 22, and to the si es, the stay or fastening brackets 3 by which the machine is rigidly secured in position. Within said outer casing 1 is securely fastened two centrally open annular diaphragms 4 and 5, each having its inner edge upwardly flanged, and in the side of the said casing 1 adjacent the upper side of each of said diaphragms is provided discharge pipes 6 and 7. The purpose of the flanged edges" To the bottom 20 of the said casing 1 is fastened .the bearing stay-brackets8,through which the bearing rods 9 are passed. Said rods 9 have one end fastened to the bearing 10, and on the other end of each is carried nuts for adjustment. Within the said bearing 10 is operated the vertical shaft 11 having .a' foot or bottom bearing 12. The upper portion of said shaft 11 is formed conical in, shape, and has secured thereon the hub 13. The-top portion of said hub 13 is flared or flanged outwardly to forni the centrifugal or distributing table 14 on which the material first falls when entering the machine. To the centrifugal table 14', by means of the braces 15, is rigidly secured a perforated frusto-conically shaped inner casing 16 concentric with said table. On the other side of said inner casing 16 is fastened two anwill extend over the flanged edge of said diaphragm 5. Adjacent the inner side of said frusto-conically shaped casing 16 is fastened the coarse meshed screen 19 similar in shape but enough smaller in size to fit closely within said casing 16. Adjacent the inner side of the said screen 19 is secured a filter screen 21 made of burlap or cloth. On the side of the said wash pipe 27 adjacent the said filter screen 21 is provided openings to direct the wash water against the said screen 21. The water being under head suflicient to cause the falling gangue, through which the water passes, to again contact with said filter screen 21.

The operation of my machine is as follows :Power being applied to the shaft 11 by a belt operated upon a pulley 25 on said shaft, the said inner casing 16 and the parts secured thereto are made to revolve very rapidly. The contents of the leaching tankthe leaching solution and the leached ore or gangue-is then allowed to flow through the pipe 2 into the machine and fall upon the table 14. The centrifugal force of this table throws the gangue and solution against the rapidly revolving inner casing with its screen lining composed of the cloth screen 21 and coarse meshed wire screen 19. The solution carrying the metallic values is thrown out through the openings in said casing 16 and falls onto-the drain board 17 and diaphragm 4:, while the gangue is held against the said cloth screen 21 with a tendency to fall or seek a lower plane. While said gangue is falling or sliding down the said cloth screen 21, wash water is introduced through the pipe 27, under a head or force suflicient, to cause any falling particles of gangue to again contact with the said cloth screen 21 and the water washes out any portion of the leaching solution remaining in the gangue. The gangue then falls and is guided by the chutes 22 into cars or other receptacle whereby it may be removed. The

wash water with the residue of the leaching solution is thrown out through the sai cloth screen 21, the coarse mesh screen 19 and the openings in the casing 16 onto the lower drain board 18 and the lower diaphragm -5, and is drawn off through the p p Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1. The combination of a power driven vertical shaft, a conically shaped hub thereon having the upper portlon outwardly flanged forming a distributing table, a perforated frusto-conically shaped casing spaced from and carried by said hub, two annular drain boards secured on the outer side of said casing, an outer casing having a partially closed top and bottom, a centrally located pipe with the opening thereof above said hub, two open annular diaphragms secured to the inner wall of said outer casing having their inner edges upwardly flanged and located respectively subjacent said drain boards, and discharge pipes in the wall of said outer casing immediately above said diaphragms as and for the purposes described.

2. In a centrifugal met-a1 extractor ,the combination of a power driven vertical shaft, a hub secured on the upper portion thereof, an outwardly extended flange on the upper end of said hub adapted to form a distributing table, a perforated frustoconically shaped casing concentrically spaced from and carried by said table, filtering means secured to the inner wall of said casing, two annular drain boards secured on the outer wallof said casing, an outer casing having chutes in the bottom thereof, a pipe with the opening therethrough adapted to discharge on said table, two open annular diaphragms secured to the inner wall of said outer casing and located respectively subjacentsaid drain boards and having their inner edges upwardly flanged, discharge pipes in the wall of said outer casing located immediately above the said diaphragms, and a water pipe adapted to discharge water against the said filtering means. I

3. In a centrifugal metal extractor the combination of a power driven vertical shaft, a hub secured on the upper ortion of said shaft, an outwardly exten ed flange on the upper end of said hub adapted to receive the material to be treated, a perforated frusto-conically shaped casing concentrically spaced from and secured on said hub, filtering means secured tothe inner wall of said coarse meshed wire screen and a cloth screen both of which are frusto-conically shaped and adapted to fit closely within said casing, two annular drain boards secured on the casing, said means consisting of a outer wall of said casing, an outer casing, a

pipe through the top of said outer casing adapted to discharge the material to be.-

treated on the upper end of said hub, two'" scribed.

.4.-The combination of a power vertical shaft, a hub-on the upper end thereof having an outwardly extended flange thereon adapted to receive a liquid solution containing crushed ore, a cone shaped casin vconcentrically spaced from said hub an ingfrushed rock over the upper end of said hu an outer casing, annular diaphragms within said outer casing having their inner 15 edges flanged upwardly, and drain boards secured on the Wall of said inner casing adapted to discharge on said diaphragms.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

, AUGUST MAASSEN. VVitnessesz.

BEN L. CORUM, CHARLES FALLENTINE. 

